AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University beach volleyball team started Sun Conference play in historic fashion on Saturday afternoon, beating Warner University, 4-1, and ending the day with a 3-2 victory over the fifth-ranked team in the nation, the Webber International University Warriors. The win was Ave Maria's first-ever win over Webber, the reigning Sun Conference champions, in four years of varsity play, and avenged a loss in last season's Sun Conference Tournament finals.

The opening match of the day, between Ave Maria and Warner, was much closer than the 4-1 score dictates. All five matches went to a third set, where the Gyrenes were able to come through in the clutch. In the first set of matches, Ave Maria jumped out to a 2-0 lead, thanks to wins at second and fourth flights. Lily Grasso and Reina Thomas rallied for a 16-21, 21-8, 15-8 win at the second flight, while Ryan Getz and Deanna Barrett bounced back from a second set loss in a  21-8, 19-21, 15-6 victory.

Needing just one win in the second set of matches, the Gyrenes had to sweat it out before claiming the 4-1 victory. Warner closed the gap with a 21-19, 18-21, 18-16 win at the fifth flight, and the matches at the first and third flights went the distance as well. The clinching point came from the the third pair of Anna Howard and Hannah Jones, who picked up a 18-21, 21-18, 15-13 win. Moments later, Alayna Metherd and Ines Lopes finished off the 4-1 win with a 23-21, 20-22, 15-10 victory.

In the nightcap, Ave Maria and Webber exited the opening set of matches with the battle even at one. Webber earned a point at the second flight with a 21-17, 19-21, 15-11 win, while Ave Maria answered with a straight set win at the fourth flight. That win came from Getz and Barrett, who completed an undefeated day with a victory of 21-19, 21-19.

The teams again traded victories in the second set of matches, with Webber winning 21-17, 21-14 at the top flight, and Ave Maria responding with a 15-21, 23-21, 15-7 win from Abbey Grose and Beatriz Rissi at the fifth flight. The Sun Conference matchup came down to the third flight, which went to a third set. After a 21-19 loss in the first set, Jones and Howard rallied for a 21-15 win in the second, then sparked a Gyrene celebration with a 15-12 win in the third to clinch the match.

Now holding a record of 2-2, the Gyrenes will hit the road this coming week to play an NCAA Division II opponent. Ave Maria will play a pair of matches against the Lions of Saint Leo University on Wednesday, with opening serve of the contests scheduled for 2:00 and 4:00.